


he's gone

by serenlty



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, ritsu and Mao are first years
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-12
Updated: 2017-02-12
Packaged: 2018-09-23 16:54:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9666755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serenlty/pseuds/serenlty
Summary: There are some things Mao isn't prepared for.





	

**Author's Note:**

> this came out of nowhere um  
> i'm weak for ritsumao so let me throw some headcanons at you

Mao likes to consider himself a fairly prepared person, thank you very much, but there are some situations that he doesn't actually know how to respond to. Example one- being called before sundown by a sobbing, hysterical Ritsu. And although he's shaken, Mao knows he won't get a clear answer on anything from Ritsu while he sounds like this. 

"Ritchan, I'll be right over, okay?" He tries to project friendly calmness through his voice, but it's hard with Ritsu crying and sniffling into his ear. Outside, the sun is at the angle Ritsu always seems to like the least-nearing the horizon, casting a beautiful golden light that hurts to look anywhere near. 

The door to the Sakuma's house swings open, and no one, not even Rei is there to greet him. That's strange-normally there's at least one person awake in this household, regardless of the time of day. Their house seems to expand on the inside, much larger than the outside could possibly let on, but Mao can still hear Ritsu's muffled crying from the foyer. He kicks off his shoes, leaving them next to a potted plant that looks lethal enough to raise questions, and takes off in the direction he knows will take him to Ritsu's room. 

Even more concerning than the front door being unlocked is Ritsu's door being unlocked and slightly ajar. He never leaves his door unlocked, let alone any form of open. A dull light, from a very dim lamp Mao knows all too well, filters out through the doorway. He pushes open the door just enough to enter before closing it behind him and quietly turning the lock. As usual, the lamp is in the furthest corner of Ritsu's room from his oversized bed. 

Speaking of Ritsu's bed, it seems to be occupied by a small mound of blankets and nothing more. Upon a closer inspection that Mao really doesn't need to perform, he determined that Ritsu has the blankets wrapped around him. He knows Ritsu hasn't heard him yet, as he hasn't said anything, but if Ritsu's 'vampire' has is any truth then he can probably smell Mao in the room. 

Mao steps over to Ritsu's bed, carefully climbing on in the dark before throwing his arms around a large lump of blanket. The lump jumps, physically, before the blankets fall back enough for Ritsu to return the gesture. Mao stands on his knees, trying to pull Ritsu as close as possible-following some kind of logic that he'll absorb Ritsu's pain if they're close enough. 

"Maa...kun..." Ritsu's voice cracks mid-sob, sounding utterly broken. "H-he...he's..." Ritsu shakes his head no, burying his face in the side of Mao's neck. The blankets are beginning to fall, and Mao tries not to notice how much he can feel Ritsu's spine through his shirt when he runs his hands up and down the others back in an attempt to be comforting. When speaking clearly fails him, Ritsu wraps his legs around Mao's waist, clinging to his childhood friend like some kind of 4-legged octopus. 

"Your brother?" From the moment Mao entered the Sakuma's house, he'd had a strange feeling. For Rei, constantly doting on his little brother, to be absent in a situation like this...

Ritsu doesn't verbally respond. However, the way his hold on Mao tightens until the younger sees stars, the way his sobs amplify in in speed and sound and number, tells Mao that he hit the nail right on the head. No easy way for him to respond to this exists, simply because he doesn't know everything about the brother's relationship. Sure, he knew they were close, Rei constantly doting on Ritsu and Ritsu basking in the attention, but nothing more. 

"Mom and Dad..s-sent him..." Ritsu's voice breaks into wrecked sobs again. Mao knows what he needs to know anyways-Rei has been sent somewhere far off and Ritsu didn't know it would happen. "I h-hate them," Ritsu hiccups, dragging his face along the top of Mao's shoulder. "Maakun..."

Ritsu suddenly goes completely limp and slumps against Mao, who slips and falls backwards in surprise. Ritsu has no problem adjusting, still wrapped around Mao with his face buried in Mao's shoulder. The proximity of Ritsu's sharp teeth to his neck make Mao's heartrate begin to speed, but he holds onto Ritsu nonetheless-stroking his hair and wiping the tears out from under his red-rimmed eyes. Mao can't even complain when Ritsu blows his nose, rather loudly, into his shirt.

"When?" Mao finally asks. Ritsu looks up at him, not comprehending, blinking slowly as tears continue to fall down his face, before sighing. 

"I think...ten days ago? Maakun, I don't..I don't want to move anymore. It's unfair."

"Ritchan, you should have called me sooner. It is unfair, but I..." Mao trails off. What's the right way to end that sentence? "I care about you."? "I love you."? "I would travel to hell and back to see you happy again."?

He settles on "I'll always be there for you, no matter what," which only seems to make Ritsu's tears return. Mao panics, jumping, immediately stuttering for an apology and feeling his face turn red as he tries to figure out what he did wrong. 

"Hah...Maakun didn't do anything wrong..." Ritsu lifts a hand to first clean under his own eyes. Then, he runs his finger alongside Mao's face, down his neck and shoulder, to where his other arm loops around his childhood friend-as if making sure Mao is still there, not a figment of his imagination, not going to be sent away to-

"Maakun's too good..." he mumbles, laying his head over Mao's heartbeat. Mao's warmth is comforting; his heartbeat a steady pattern that has the pull of sleep once again dragging Ritsu away. He reaches for one of Mao's hands, holding it against his own heart. "It beats for you," he mumbles, exhausted.

Mao laughs a little-Ritsu's said this before, but each time it really does mean something special to him. He wants to remind Ritsu that his heart beats for the older boy as well, but before the words can even leave his lips, Ritsu is sound asleep. Smiling fondly at Ritsu, Mao runs his free hand through messy black hair. He can tell Ritsu hasn't eaten, hasn't spoken, hasn't showered since whenever Rei left-but he hopes he can fix that. 

Because even if Rei is gone, Mao doesn't plan on going anywhere else.

**Author's Note:**

> i'm sorry
> 
> twitter @squirrellissa


End file.
